Chaptering the Bible

Shocked and grieving...

2012-02-05T07:35:00.001-08:00

Mark 10:22 "...he was shocked and he went away grieving, for he had many possessions."

How many of us have had the moment that this young man had? Jesus loved him...He saw that this young man was sincere in his obedience to the law. But there is more to the kingdom; no other gods can interfere with your service to and love of the Father. So, Jesus says, " ...sell everything you have and give it to the poor, then you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me." I'm not sure harder words are spoken anywhere else in the Bible...

The call remains for us who want to be disciples to heed. I still a little shocked and grieving...

- Aut Inveniam viam aut faciam

A Father's Father

2011-12-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

Mat 1:19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
Mat 1:20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Mat 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

So there is Joseph, undoubtedly hurt and not a little confused, seeing his hopes for a family with this maiden, Mary, dashed before they even took root. He could make the divorce as public or private, messy or quiet as he might like. He'd done nothing wrong; indeed, he conceivably would be better off finding out just what kind of woman his betrothed was early on rather than have to bear the shame of a marriage gone wrong down the road. He would put this unfortunate situation out of his mind before long; after all, he'd not even had the chance to really get to know Mary, right?

But as soon as he settled upon his course of action, he could hardly get a moment's peace. Even his sleep was disturbed...more than disturbed, actually...interrupted is more like it. A beautiful man, glowing in white appeared to him and declared peace to him and encouraged him to marry and to be a father to God's son.

As I have fathered and been blessed in raising my own children for God's kingdom, I've wondered what God saw in Joseph? I would think that if God had the chance to pick a man to raise His son, He might have a few qualities in mind, so it's interesting to see the quality that is mentioned here as Joseph considers his future with Mary.

"...being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame." Just, and compassionate. The very qualities we ascribe to Christ as we look at His ministry, the balance we see in God-justice that demands holiness and compassion that forgives-was undoubtedly modeled by Jesus' earthly father as well. In showing what qualities He singled out as important for Christ's earthly father, God speaks to all of us who are fathers. He underscores the central importance of balance in our parenting between the strength of justice and the strength of compassion-both are love. He shows us that by pouring both into the lives of our children we can create more of both for the world as we are able to be conformed to the likeness of our king, Jesus Christ.

Living vicariously

2011-07-17T13:56:00.001-07:00

Sitting in the family room with my dog and daughter, sharing the grace of watching our national team play Japan for the world cup...GOAL!!!...sorry- Alex Morgan just scored. And that's the thing, isn't it...as things happen halfway around the world we can scream and cheer for them here.

I am watching my daughter, a pretty good footballer in her own, 17 year old fashion, as she dreams of playing on a stage so big one day. And I love that I have children who dream such big dreams. I love looking ahead and seeing dreams that motivate my kids, and me, to be the best we can be In all of the areas of our lives. Too few of us believe in the big things that God has for us; too few of us see a way to change the world for the better. While it's not about soccer, and it's certainly not about us, having goals in areas of life that we love will open doors to help and love others.

It is wonderful to watch the 21 players from our nation who are living their dream for us right now. It's 1-1 presently, but won't be for long, I suppose. One nation's team will fulfill their dream, and another will goal home still dreaming. We will live our dreams, too, and thank God that we have His love that enables us to have His dreams fill us....wonderful...

-Inveniam viam aut faciam

Jeremiah 18

2010-12-29T18:31:00.001-08:00

Jer 17:21 Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.
Jer 17:22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.
Jer 17:23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.

Jeremiah is a book that recounts God's faithfulness, and the lack of faith of Judah and Israel...and us. God is faithful, giving us blessing after blessing, sending His son to save us from sin and death...yet we continue to ignore-stiffen our necks-and continue to prove our need for His grace.

We often think that God's requirements for obedience ended with the Old Testament covenant. Not so! Indeed, obedience is His definition of our love for Him.(John 14:15) It is through His power and grace...His spirit...that we are empowered to live a life of obedience. Jeremiah saw firsthand that a simple call to obedience wasn't enough. He foretold of Judah's punishment at the hands of invaders from the North..the Assyrians and the Babylonians were the instruments of God's wrath, punishing Israel's disobedience. Thank God for His son and the promise of forgiveness that He brings to those of us who love Him!

Psalms 144-150

2010-09-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

I am often left without adequate thoughts, let alone words, when I contemplate worship of our God. I have read and learned the Psalms as templates for praise my entire life, but the words simply seem to fall short. And, I suppose, that is probably how the Psalmist felt in creating these songs and poems of praise. I'm in good company.

Praise, honor, glory...I extol the Lord. He who taught me to battle, He who gives me all, He who saved me from Sheol. What an extraordinary way to end a book of poems, songs to the God you love, who loves you...He's heard your complaints and fears and worries, but, I imagine, what He loves the most is the praise we sing, as simple and shallow and incomplete as it is.

Praise the Lord, O my soul....

Psalm 119

2010-09-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

I'm about halfway in my most recent march through the Bible, and I've made to a chapter that is known as the "longest chapter in the Bible." Speaking of the word of God in terms of length or number of words or verses or even time spent in its study seems to diminish it. But, then, isn't that the case any time we try to consider God in our terms? It is a futile practice, to try to comprehend an infinite, immeasurable God in tangible terms, isn't it?

The Psalmist crafts something unique in Psalm 119: a poem of 22, eight verse stanzas with each stanza build around a theme that draws it into the whole of the Psalm. (And we Lutherans thought we had long hymns!) I offer this condensed version, in no way usurping or denying the power or beauty of the original, but only as a reflection of what I hear as God speaks (I give the verse numbers as a reference):

2 Blessed are they who keep [God's] statutes and seek Him with all their heart.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands, because I love them.
56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.
63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.
64 The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
66 Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe in your commands.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
88 Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.
114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
125 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.
133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
144 Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
156 Your compassion is great, O Lord, preserve my life according to your law.
166 I wait for your salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

God loves us. He offers salvation. He seeks our love in our obedience.

James 3-4

2009-09-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

The nature of wisdom:
Pure
Peace-loving
Considerate
Submissive
Full of mercy
Full of good fruit
Impartial
Sincere

So, when I ask for wisdom, this is how my character should manifest God's wisdom...

Who knew it would be so hard to be wise.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Matthew 5 and 6

2009-04-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

I've read through the Old Testament again...my mind drifted more, this time, to the prophets who spoke for God without concerning themselves with who would listen and who wouldn't. I'll focus more fully on them in other posts...probably several posts on Hosea alone!

Then this morning I had the delight of getting back to Matthew 5 and 6, the chapters where we find the Sermon on the Mount. There's so much here. Jesus uses this teaching to focus on what the world considers some of the most counter-intuitive parts of His message; He begins in the beatitudes and winds his way toward prayer where He plants a zinger in the middle of His teaching. "Sure," He says, "go ahead and praise the Father and ask for your daily needs to be filled." "Go ahead and ask for forgiveness of your sins...But remember," He tells us,"that you will only receive the forgiveness you seek if you first forgive others." Oops. Really? But I thought if we just said we believed in you, Jesus, you'd take care of that?

And this is the thing that we often miss. Accepting Jesus Christ as our savior is only the first step in our transition to becoming citizens of the Kingdom of God...we must obey the King in order to lay claim to our full citizenship. Jesus is very clear in His teaching, here and in other passages; of course, we often choose to ignore his teaching, even though we long to be called "Sons and Daughters of God."

Mat 6:14-15
(14) For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
(15) but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (italics mine)

We often get into debates about what Jesus meant, what God meant, what the prophets meant. It seems to me more times than not, we simply don't want to read what is written for us very plainly to read...it's right there. Maybe that's what Jesus meant when He said-regularly-"Let he who has ears, hear." I pray that we all grow a pair of ears...and eyes, too...

Isaiah, Hezekiah and the end

2008-12-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Most of us can't imagine what it's like to wait for inevitable doom. I think that's largely why we can seem to REALLY understand the idea of being saved, or the idea of grace...we've never really needed it in a physical, here and now sense. And in a way, too bad for us.

The Israelites faced this feeling quite often in their history. Conquerors of several different stripes were seemingly right around the corner: Egyptians, Babylonians, all kinds of -ians were waiting to march right up to the gates of Jerusalem and carry the inhabitants off into captivity. When we read the prophets of the day we get a sense of the desparation they must have felt. Mothers first killing their infants, then feeding upon them. Mighty men running through the city, searching for a way to get away from the pressing enemy.

King Hezekiah knew some of this feeling. He looked over the walls of Jerusalem and saw the armies of Sennacharib ready to crush him. It was only the grace of God that saved Jerusalem, first in God's hand striking down 185,000 of the Assyrian Army, then calling the rest away by a feint which drew Sennacherib to his death by assassination.

Why did this happen? Because King Hezekiah humbled himself and asked for God's help. Facing back-breaking odds, sometimes all we have is a God who loves us. Turning to him so often is our last resort, when if we would make Him our first option, how much peace would we garner?

Quarrelsome Women!!

2008-10-05T03:17:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 21:19

One of the great blessings of my life is God's providence to give me a wife who is not "fretful" or "quarrelsome." I'm reading the Proverbs now, and the avoidance of quarreling people...particularly wives...is a major theme. Those who are quick to anger fall outside of God's wisdom and should be avoided, even to the point of "living on the corner of the roof."

It's interesting to see the inverse relationship between anger and wisdom developed in the Proverbs. Anger is the tool Satan most often uses in my life to suck the wisdom right out of my heart. How often I have spoken to youngsters (usually in my office) who said "of course I knew better...but I was angry!" It doesn't change as we age, does it, unless we know the power of the Holy Spirit? Thank God that He empowers us through His spirit to know peace...and to pick wives who don't argue with us :)

Proverbs

2008-09-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

We so often dismiss the Bible's value as a book that has practical application to our lives. I've been fairly diligent in my journey through the Old Testament so far, and have reached the oasis in Proverbs. What a delight it is to sit read what a father (Solomon) has to say to his sons. Interesting, too, that as wise and blessed a man as Solomon was, he still missed out on the great wisdom of filling his life with worship of the one true God alone.

To have the privilege of building the first true sanctuary for the only true God, to be given the gift of wisdom above all else. The mind and heart that were God's instrument in crafting the Proverbs were also tainted by the sin of allowing other idols to have a foothold in his life...a warning, to be sure, that those of us less wise are that much the more prone to be impacted by the idols of our age. Perhaps Solomon's wisdom can help us find the path that Jesus intended us to walk.

Psalm 69

2008-06-22T20:01:00.001-07:00

6/16/06: Blog for Psalm 69: Chaptering the Bible

Songs of the King

Every so often Jesus grabs the back of my head and points me toward a point of faith, and continues to focus on it for quite a while. This is exactly what my earthly father did when he REALLY wanted me to attend to something urgent, something important and/or potentially life-changing/ending; I've had this experience throughout my life, but certainly more so as I have tried to be obedient to God in my prayer and devotional life. It's amazing...when you actually attend class, you learn things!

So, what is this season's notion? The kingship of Jesus Christ. I find that we often downplay this facet of Christ's relationship to us. It's easy to respond to a loving redeemer, to a savior, to a friend, isn't it? Of course, when we measure Christ's standard of friendship, we find something interesting. In John 15, Jesus tells us that if we are to be his friends, all we need to do is OBEY him. Hmmmm....isn't that the very thing we often find the most difficult to do?

And of course, this whole “if you love me you'll obey me” thing is at the very center of what is to be our response to Christ's kingship over us. We often forget that EVERY knee will one day bow before Christ Jesus as He claims the kingship of the universe. Keep in mind, this includes those who will be destined for hell; they may not believe in love, faith or hope, but by golly, their gonna understand who the king is. This whole image is what is coloring this season of my walk with Jesus, the power and glory and honor and strength of the king, the one to whom I owe everything, my allegiance being the only thing I have to give back.

In Psalm 69 David, who knows something about kingship, is afflicted. He is worn down, afraid, worried, scared...probably running for his life, and yet extolled God in praise. He remembered his place before the heavenly king, before the master of the universe, and even when life's boulders were crushing him, he remembered to offer God the praise He was due. Do you think there's something there for us? Every breath we take should be the wellspring for a moment of praise, air in, praise out.

I'm at a Lutheran summer camp working for a week with my family and the youngsters from my Sunday School class. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me the privilege of seeing you glorified by those I love; please remind me always that being your servant is a far greater honor than any earthly gain....

Psalm 46

2008-05-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

One of the most compelling reasons I have for believing in the triune God of the Bible is that I find great consistency in the Word of God. As I read Psalm 46 I was brought to mind of John the Apostle, sitting on Patmos, being brought in a vision into the City of God. Hear we are in David's Psalms being told of what that city will be like, fed by streams whose waters will "make the city glad;" we are told that God will be "in the midst of her." I can't wait to sit next to the stream of living water, gazing upon its source in the middle of God's City...amazing...

Psalming

2008-04-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

You know, it seems that we (I) often think of the Bible as a stagnant work, not necessarily suggesting that it's author is stagnant or stale, but that the words of the Book lack a life of their own. Perhaps this is because so much of what we read and take in IS stale and less than meaningful. Of course, nothing is richer or more full of life than the word of God. Proof? Look no further than the Psalms.

Here is a book through which we can follow the travails, triumphs, praises and fears of a king. We see the daily trials of David, his failings and cries for mercy right there played out for us-as an example. Why an example? Because each of us is needful, each of us faces fears daily, each of us has triumphed and lost many times, and each of us can turn to David's Lord as our own, and we can can expect the same mercies provided we have the same belief. Awesome.

Need some help making the Psalms real? Simply try writing your prayers down; put the burdens of your heart on paper, calling on the name of the Most High hoping for mercy and finding grace. Write your own Psalms...save them for your children, and one day they will be your testimony to the Glory of our great God and His son, Jesus.

How Many Times Elihu?

2008-02-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

Job 32

As I get a little older, this chapter of Job sticks with me a bit more each time I read it. Elihu is an interesting character, young and full of God's spirit--but there's just a hint of arrogance that colors the way I look at him.

How many times could I have carried Elihu's name, and his arrogance, even though wise? I think about the times I've faced older people--men typically--with wisdom I thought (and hoped) was from God. And I'm left to question the taste of arrogance I may have left in the mouths/ears of beloved elders. It seems, too, that the lesson I've taken from Elihu is to speak to others--especially elders--with thoughts heavily weighted with God's own words. Wisdom is not only in the words we speak, but in knowing where to find them.

I often wrestle with what I don't know. Of course, knowing the one who knows everything--and chooses to keep me and everything else in love despite what He knows--is the greatest comfort I have. And the best wisdom I have to offer.

Job: the most confusing book in the bible...

2008-02-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Job confuses me. Really. I mean, I get the basic premise--that God is God, and can do what He desires without being questioned. Okay--but then there's the whole strike 'em down to be merciful thing. And the the whole "we'll be your friend as long as you confess to being as bad as we think you probably are" thing between Job and his friends. What's up with that? None of the three could bring themselves just to shut up (basically what God suggests) and sit and mourn with their friend?

Of course, a big part of my confusion starts with Job's upright nature...a man who feared God. I'm sure that in comparison even to Job, let alone to God's holiness, I'm a pretty vile guy...and God has saved me, even without the punishment phase, even before I knew Him. Amazing. And confusing.

So as I finish reading Job, I'll spend alot of time considering what God's grace really is...just as Job gets children and herds and home back because of God's faithfulness.

The Question of Blame

2008-01-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

Job 1-9

One of the very first things that struck me when I first read Job several years ago was the whole element of blame. We spend so much time as people determining who to blame for our foibles and mishaps that we often lose sight of the great truth...it just doesn't really matter. You know, the whole spilled milk thing.

And the first several chapters in Job talk about this very idea, the whole notion of whether or not Job is responsible for the disasters that have befallen him and his family. I mean, someone steals your sheep, okay. And then your camels? Well, alright. And then a might wind comes and blows the house down where your ten children are all hanging out, killing them all? Okay--God's got it in for me, right?

But, that's not really the thing with Job, is it? He struggles to put up with the help of his friends who are ready with all sorts for explanations and insight to explain why these horrible things happen.Be sure to note, by the way, that these things are done by Satan, not God, and are done because of God's faith in Job. "Go ahead," He says, "mess with him all you want. He won't turn his back on me." That's faith...in Job, from God. How often do we see that? How often are we worthy of God's faith..."Naked I came from my mother's womb," said Job after he'd lost every earthly possession, "and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

That's what we're called to do. Praise God in the sunlight and in the rain. Praise him when you get a raise, and when you're laid off. Praise him when you have a wonderful, healthy child, praise Him when your child has a disability, praise him when you can't have children. We praise Him because He is God, not because of what He gives us. We praise Him because He loves us, not because we love Him. We praise Him because He saved us before we knew Him. We praise Him...

So, you see, it's not about who's to blame. It's about who we praise. It's about His glory and honor in Christ Jesus. It's not about us...it's about the one who sits on the throne.

Enough, and to spare: 2 Chronicles 31

2007-12-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

5 As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6 The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps. 7 They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel.
9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over."

I'm reading through the Chronicles of the Kings, and we've lived through a variety of Kings of Judah and Israel (some of the kings were so bad that they sought to rebel against the Jewish nation--and it's one true God). Many of the kings (read: Ahaz) went far astray of David's example, worshipping Baal, building Asherah poles and "high places" where sacrifices--some human--were made to appease the various gods who infested the life of Israel during their reign.

And then, through the grace of God--the true one--came along Hezekiah. Hezekiah was faithful, and followed the example of his father David, worshipping the true God, loving Him and His people.

He called on them to bring offerings to the temple, to care for the priests and the temple and one another. And above, starting in verse 5, you see the result when the people of God respond to his calling. They had enough...and more. Interestingly, WE have enough, and more, if we just give it to God to use. He loves US, not just our neighbors that we are called to love with Him; He calls us to love, to worship and to serve Him--and He promises to love us in return, and to give us far more than we could ever ask for, or imagine.

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. 21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Chronicles of the Kings

2007-11-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

Funny, and sad, that the rise and fall of the nation of Israel should be traced in essentially four books of the Old Testament, I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles. Of course, these books are more largely about God's faithfulness, even in the face of Israel's complete lack of the same.

We find David, even with all of his faults, considered a "man after God's own heart." He is the vessel of God's covenant that will result in the coming of God's only son, but only after Israel, the nation David leads, has turned away, then back, then away again after a succession of kings do what can be considered, at best, an uneven job of following David on His throne.

Names like Ahab, Jehosophat and Solomon enter the biblical vocabulary here, and we find all of the kings of Israel and Judah to be, well, a human lot. We learn much about leadership-good and bad-and we see the result of that leadership as Israel and Judah split, follow other gods and, eventually come to a common, enslaved end. I wonder what the kings thought as they saw their countries fall into ruin and exile; I wonder if they ever considered, in the end, turning wholeheartedly, one last time, to face their God and to beg Him for His grace.

A Promise Made, A Gift Given

2007-10-09T08:11:00.001-07:00

2 Kings 4

Have you ever had someone make a promise to give you something, and then after a while want to take it back? I figure that is exactly how the Shunammite woman, Elisha's friend in 2 Kings 4 must have felt. She'd done a kindly deed for Elisha--added on a room to her house just for him--and in return he'd interceded with the Lord to "give her a son in her old age." Keep in mind that this was a selfless woman...she never asked for anything in return from Elisha to begin with.

So she had this son and she loved him as a gift from God. And after a few years ("when he had grown"), he died. Where to go? Where to turn? To the man of God of course, who had made you a mother without your thought or desire...and hadn't you asked him not to tease you, not to lie to you? The gift of a son at your age? Why would God give you a son, only to take him away? What possible purpose would God have in making you suffer?

Which, apparently, is exactly what Elisha figured, since he not only sent his servant with his staff to do the healing, but he followed close behind as the Shunammite woman refused to leave his side. Foreshadowing the raising of Jairus' daughter and the widow of Nain's son, Elisha entered the room where the boy was laid and spread himself over the boy, bringing him back to life through the power of God. And he gave the boy back to his mother...

To me that is the most powerful image here, the giving of the lost son back to his mother. It seems that is the image God most closely cherishes, the chance to go out and find the lost if only to restore them to the found. The Prodigal Son. The Shunammite Widow's son. The Centurion's servant. The nation of Israel. You. Me.

Jeroboam

2007-09-29T14:09:00.001-07:00

I'm reading 1 Kings and am finding the travails of the various leaders of Israel and Judah remarkable, especially King Jeroboam. Jeroboam had been promised the kingship of Israel (10 of the 12 tribes--minus Judah and Benjamin) by the Lord since Solomon had left God's path and had adopted the gods of his wives. He was promised a nation to lead, people to follow him...and he ended up no better than Solomon.

It seems that what we see is the constant working of the adage that power corrupts...and the more absolute the power, the more absolute the corruption. We do see examples of righteous men who, by focusing on God, are able to withstand the corrupting seduction of power. We do see, though, that even as men are righteous in the larger view, they still must be ready to seek forgiveness. David had Uriah murdered to get his wife. Solomon, in all of his wisdom, couldn't withstand the corrupting power of his 700 wives. And so we're left to ponder this weird connection between power and sin and grace and forgiveness...and to see that we don't measure up against the kings of Israel and Judah much better...thank God that He still sends the occasional Nathan and that we can turn to Him, under the blood of His son, to seek the forgiveness He offers.

The Cost of Friendship

2007-08-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

I know a great many people. Thousands. God has given me the gift of knowing these thousands and having some small part in their growth. I'm able to look back over my first 20 years of service and take great joy in the idea that I truly can't go to any store within 20 square miles without running into a former student -- "what was your name again? Oh, yes!" -- or their parents -- "Tell me how they're doing?! Three kids? Really?!" -- or colleagues -- "Do you remember the time we..." All of these connections and I can count the number of true friends, give-my-life-for-you sorts of folks, on one hand.

That's not to say I don't have a great many people I love and, I hope, who love me. But there's another level of relationship that often goes unexplored because we're so busy with loving the many. That level starts at love but somehow doesn't stop there. The notion that love is a terminal emotion--as good as it gets--just isn't the case when true friendship enters the equation.

This is what we find as we read 1 Samuel 20 where we see the depth of the friendship between David and Jonathon. We very quickly get an idea of how deeply Jonathon feels for David as it is clear that he prefers David's friendship above even the possibility of inheriting his father's throne. As Saul, Jonathon's father, plans and plots to kill David, we see Jonathon making some very bold, courageous choices that could just as quickly lead to his own death. He plans with David to expose his father's plans to kill David, and to warn David about them so that David might escape. When Saul's plans are exposed, David and Jonathon meet in an empty field where Jonathon gives David his warning. It is written that they "...kissed each other and wept together--but David wept the most." I have a notion that David understood how very much Jonathon was giving up, even moreso than Jonathon did.

At their parting, Jonathon told David he should "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord...." Isn't that a model we should follow, swearing friendship to our dearest friends in the name of the Lord, making covenants of friendship just as we make covenants of marriage and service to each other?

Joshua 5: A Moment of Revelation

2007-07-14T14:12:00.001-07:00

As you might suppose, the Bible is chock full of "aha!" moments, moments when great wisdom or insight are unveiled. And there are times, too, that the Bible is a really great book, and the revelation given really accelerates the intensity of the story--like in Joshua 5.

Joshua has just done the Lord's bidding in having the ENTIRE NATION of males circumsized since none had been circumsized during the wand4ering in the wilderness (the last 40 years). Joshua's walking about outside Jericho, thinking about what God will do next when BANG! there's this guy with his sword drawn standing right in front of him. Like any decent sentry, Joshua asks, "Hey, are you on our side, or are you working for the other side?" The reply makes the story...just when you're expecting a "I'm here to fight for you!" or "Follow me and I'll show you a secret passage," what is get is "No." Oh. Wait...that's not really a yes/no question, is it? Not unless you get additional information--like what follows..."I'm the commander of the army of the Lord." Sweet mother of pearl. "I thought you were on my side," Joshua might have thought. But that's the point. God's army only fights for God, for His purpose, for His goals--never for ours, unless they are aligned with Gods.

Luckily for Joshua, Israel was right smack in the middle of God's will. Are angels real? Yes. Is spiritual warfare real? More real than you might guess. And the best part? If we trust in Jesus, if we turn our face to Him and let Him be our guide and Lord and master...then the fight for us.

Deuteronomy 34--God's justice and compassion

2007-07-04T12:41:00.001-07:00

What does God want from us? The glory. He's been clear from the very beginning that as we obey Him we are to give Him all of the credit, the praise--the glory.

Moses know this. His firs greeting from God included the admonition to remove his shoes because he was standing on Holy ground--ground inhabited by God. He was not only a witness to God's most visible and profound actions before the coming of Christ, he was God's chosen instrument. He know where the credit belonged.

Then there was that one day at Meribah, that whiny people, pestering him for water, like the god who had sent manna and quail and deliverance wouldn't send water, too. But I imagine he got frustrated so he smacked a rock with his staff and out came water--gushing forth. Another example of God's promise-keeping providence, but this time Moses didn't point to the provider; he didn't give credit where credit was due. And God was MIFFED. Not "I'm going to kill my favorite prophet" angry, but certainly put out. And what was the penalty for not giving Him his due? I mean, it's not like Moses really misbehaved, is it? God gave the water, didn't he? But anytime we allow God--force God--to take a back seat in our lives, we are guilty of not loving Him as fully as He deserves and requires, and there is a consequence. For Moses, that meant that He couldn't share int he blessing of God's people.

As much as God loved Moses, and loves us, He is infinitely and exquisitely just and fair. He could have let Moses slide--indeed, most of us would have ever known. But God knew that if He cut Moses the slack, the line would start to form for special dispensations for all kind of sin, and that's not what He's about.

Nope, what He's about, in the face of His justice, is infinite compassion in the person of His son, Jesus Christ. And does that extend to Moses across time? You bet! Take a look at Luke 9:28-36. There Jesus was near Mount Nebo in Galilee, part of the land promised to the Israelites in the first covenant, with Peter, James and John. And right there, on that mountain, the fulfillment of the covenant, the creator of the New Covenant would meet with God's chosen instruments of the first covenant, Elijah and, yes, Moses. The only way for this meeting to take place was in God's mercy, His grace in Christ Jesus, which supersedes all else.

And just as God granted Moses a vision of the promised land with Jesus, so too does He grant us the same view of His kingdom standing next to His son. Not just or a moment, either, but forever--eternity with the king, forgiven all of our wrongs, covered by the blood of grace and love incarnate. I'm looking forward to talking to Moses!

Twelve jewels

2007-04-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

When you read the bible through a couple of times, things start to stand out each time you go back into it. (It should be known that I've not ever been one to follow Mortimer Adler's admonition that every book should be read three times...so the above phenomena may in fact occur whenever you read any book more than once, but it's really cool in the case of the Bible!) Exodus 39 offers just one such place of wonder as it describes the 12 jewels on the front of Aaron's priestly breastplate. Apart from its ornate, stunning beauty as it shown in my mind's eye, I couldn't quite remember where I'd read a similar passage...until I remembered another imagining I'd had when reading the book of Revelation. The description of the New Jerusalem with its jeweled walls--twelve jewels, twelve gates, representing the apostles and the twelve tribes of Israel, the union (perfect, mind you) of the old and new covenants. Beautiful. Perfect symmetry.

Exodus 38

2007-04-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

I'm struck by the meticulous nature of God's instructions for the building of his tabernacle; talk about someone who knows what He wants! Exact instructions for the number poles in His tent...made of brass and gold, the number of hooks for the curtains--made of silver, not to mention the type of yarn to be used in crafting those same curtains that would surround the Holy of Holies. Amazing. And beautiful.

And the bronze "sea," the large basin that stood at the entrance to the tabernacle that was made out of the bronze mirrors of the women who "ministered at the entrance of the tabernacle." Something about giving up our selves, our need for narcissism in order to make something more meaningful, more beautiful, is evident here. All of this from the "records of the tabernacle of the testimony," His testimony.

Leaving Egypt

2007-03-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

I was raised in South Bend, Indiana, just a couple of blocks from the St. Joseph river. Oddly enough the St. Joe and the Nile have something in common; they both run north, at least in parts, for a while. This Lenten season is happening in conjunction with my reading of Exodus, and has gotten me thinking of the Egypt of 3500 years ago as well as the South Bend I grew up in, and the Locust Grove I live in now. They all have been places of slavery, slavery of the Jews in Egypt, slavery of Africans to Georgian settlers until 144 years ago, slavery to sin even today for brothers and sisters who don't know Jesus Christ. While God had to deliver his people by doing miraculous acts in Egypt, the miraculous took a backseat to love, to sacrifice and to grace. No divided seas, no pillars of smoke and fire, simply one God/Man to carry all of history's burden of sin on a rough hewn cross. And we're free to leave our Egypt any time we want...

The End of the Beginning

2007-02-22T15:36:00.000-08:00

So I'm right on course, keeping up with my chapter a day regimen through the bible. At 53 days into the year (53? Already?) I've just finished Genesis...an amazing book. We are taught through our years in Sunday School that Genesis is this collection of great stories, of Adam and Eve, of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, of Joseph. But you know what? It is the story of God's great love for his friends, his chosen people; what a bunch! Liars, cheats, murderers, miscreants all...sounds discomfortably close to home, yes? But God loved them so much. He put up with all of their sinning and iniquity and hatred and disobedience and he gave them the most extraordinary gift...a land flowing with milk and honey, their own place.

Of course, they eventually ruin that, too, but I haven't read that far yet, so I'll enjoy his grace a bit...

It's all about God, guys. It's all about God.

One question

2007-01-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

If I'm not learning anything else during this study of the bible, it is that so many times the fate of the entire human race has pivoted on one question. In the 28th chapter of Genesis, an aging and blind Isaac asks such a question: "Are you truly my son, Esau?" Of course, Jacob and Rebekkah had plotted to steal Esau's birthright, and now they were about to steal the blessing that his father had planned to give him.

We're left to question a great many things about God's plan, though here we see that God's plan is just that...HIS plan. We see his blessing fall upon Jacob, and we are to understand that God will bless those He will bless, and curse those He will curse. This is one of those difficult truths for humans; that, ultimately, we don't have the kind of control that we believe we have. A greater challenge for us Christians is to submit ourselves entirely to the will of God.

We see Jacob lie his way into his father's blessing, but we also see him wrestle with an angel of God a bit later. We see Esau embittered and we see the birth of strife in the middle east, which we still see played out today. Of course, we later see Esau's love and forgiveness...something we choose to ignore in modern history, it seems.

One question..."Are you truly my son Esau?" One question..."Who do you say I am?" One question..."Are you the Christ?" And the history of man changes forever...

Walking in Maryland

2007-01-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

When I'm able to get away to Maryland, I try to steal some time each day for a walk...and this is where I go. A pond right off of the road full of beautiful, perfect, still reflections--which, oddly enough, is exactly what I'm seeking...perfect, still, beautiful reflection...

Slowing Down

2007-01-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

The last two years have seen me work to read the entire bible through during the year. To be honest, that practice has been probably the most beneficial thing I've ever done spiritually. The hangup, however has been that I'd a)fall behind, then b) work to rush to catch up and c) miss the really great truths that God puts in His word.

So, I've taken a new tack that seems to really be a step in the right direction for me. I've gone on the three and a half year plan, reading one chapter a day. It's funny how much more we can learn as we change levels of study. First, we make the commitment to study the bible, then we commit to studying the entire bible, then we can commit to immersing, absorbing and soaking in God's great love, grace and word.

Naked and ashamed

2007-01-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

So I was reading about Noah. In Genesis 9, Noah--a vineyard owner and undoubtedly a mean somelier--had a bit much while doing quality control. Like many of us, he went to his tent, didn't bother to find his pajamas, and passed out on his bed. At this point in walks Ham (an interesting name, no?) who sees his father in this state, and immediately runs out to tell his two brothers, apparently chuckling all the while. His brothers hear this news and cover their father with a blanket--after walking in backward so as not to see him and shame him further.

When Noah woke up, he was none too happy with Ham. Of course, his head may have been pounding a bit as well...at any rate, Ham ended up with a curse placed upon him that all of his descendants had to live with for the remainder of the old testament...and some would argue we are still seeing the fruit borne of that curse in the drama playing out between Israel and her neighbors, since after Ham was cursed, Shem (father of the Semites...get it?) was blessed. And there you have it. Amazing...

Creation x2?

2007-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm through the first two chapters of the bible, and I'm struck by the beauty and consistency of the creation stories contained therein. Please understand, I'm not a literalist, necessarily, but I'm very willing to admit that God may well act(and frequently does) in ways far beyond my understanding. So, do God's days have 24 hours? Don't know. Which rib did God remove to make Eve? Not sure. I can only speculate on a great deal of things, except for one...He created EVERYTHING...and the Holy Spirit was there, hovering over the face of the deep (isn't that beautiful)...and Jesus was the instrument of creation..."In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." Magnificent. I'm going to bed now...with His peace, my creator's, firmly planted in my heart. Wonderful...

In the beginning...indeed

2007-01-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

I've made it a thing to try to get through the bible in a year the last couple of years, with mixed success. I've made it all the way through once, and 2/3 of the way through in 2006. But listen to how that sounds..."made it through."

I don't want to be a "made it through" kind of guy, or Christian, or dad, or husband. Reading God's word is one of the exercises in life where you really do get what you put into it; if you are into reading the bible as an "effort,' then you'll get a workout and be able to read a bit better. If, however, you want to actually learn about God, to talk with Him, to ponder the great spiritual mysteries that He presents us with, then you need to, I think, be willing to go slowly and deliberately. Like talking with a good friend, rather than ordering from a fast food restaurant.

So, this year my approach is a bit different. I've committed myself to reading one chapter of the bible a day (except when they're really, really short--then I'll double up) for roughly the next three years. It is my hope not simply to "make it through," but truly to tune into what God is teaching me in each reading. I'll be sharing that learning here, since shared learning is a great way to hold myself accountable, right?

Read, and please always feel free to comment! Have a blessed 2007...